RMT gears up for day of action on Friday 13th

A pacer train at Rochdale Train Station

Rail union RMT has declared a day of action against rail cuts in the North this Friday (13 February) as the union warned again that the dated 'Pacer' trains are set to remain in service for years to come as 30-year-old tube trains withdrawn from service on London Underground are undergoing refitting to diesel operation and could be "dumped" on railways in the North "as yet another rolling stock lash-up raising serious safety fears".

The first of the D78 London Underground D-Stock train to be pulled from service has arrived at Vivarail’s Long Marston base and is undergoing conversion to diesel operation.

RMT warned before Christmas that the 30-year-old tube stock could be seen as a solution in the North where newer rolling stock is already being shifted South leading to a crisis which is likely to see the "hated" Pacer units remaining in service indefinitely. Potentially now alongside a fleet of vintage tube trains, "piling lash-up onto lash-up and making a nonsense of the Governments pledge to create a 'Northern Powerhouse'".

The RMT campaign is taking five "key" messages out to the travelling public:

• *Say no to driver only operated trains
• Keep our ticket offices open
• Keep our stations staffed and safe
• Stop cuts to the Transpennine express network
• Oppose massive fare increases